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REPORT 



OF THE 



SELECT COMMITTEE 



APPOINTED TO VISIT AND EXAMINE INTO THE AFFAIRS 



OF THE 



EASTERN PENITENTIARY. 



Mr. ROGER®, Chairman. 



READ IN SENATE, JUNE 




HARRISBURG 
PRINTED BY E. GUYER. 

1839. 



■ 



* 




LC Control Number 



REPORT. 




tmp96 027159 



Mr. Rogers, from the committee appointed to visit and examine" 
into the affairs of the Eastern penitentiary, made a report, which was 
read as follows, viz : 

That the committee being impressed with the belief that the mere 
inquiry into the present condition of the Eastern Penitentiary, as 
expressed upon the face of the resolution, would not elicit the kind of 
information which was desired, have thought proper to extend their 
investigations beyond the point proposed. They, therefore, have 
looked upon this means of carrying out penal enactments as a branch 
of state policy, and in that light have bestowed some pains in develop- 
ing the truth in regard to the operations of this establishment, as a 
system which has caused much watchful anxiety on the part of those 
who have made criminal jurisprudence an object of study, and which, 
as far as your committee have been capable of judging, has been at- 
tended with the happiest results. 

On reference to a very remote period of our history, as a state, it 
will be found, that the subject of reform in our penitentiaries was 
one that engaged the attention of the philanthropists of that day ; 
and a body then organized, have with unremitted exertions and un- 
tiring consistency, persisted in urging upon the authorities of the state, 
the policy and necessity of adopting solitary labor as a means of re- 
forming criminals and preventing crime. To these exertions are we 
indebted for the establishment of our present penitentiary system, 
and experience entitles those philanthropists to the meed of praise, 
as men of great wisdom and forethought. 

At the period when this system was about to be introduced, it 
will be remembered that the subject caused much discussion, and 
men of high literary attainments and great legal knowledge, entered 
the arena as disputants, for and against the measure. The contro- 



rudiments of knowledge, made the object of a systematized mode of 
teaching one much to be desired. In the appointment of a moral teach- 
er, much less stress was made upon his qualifications as a religious 
teacher, than his capacity for facilitating ordinary school learning. 
It was hoped and thought, that by introducing into the cell of the 
convict one who, whilst his high tone of morals would be a bar to 
criminal connivance or iudulgence, his intermediate relationship 
between the law officials of the establishment, and the prisoner him- 
self, would beget that kind of confidence and trust upon the part of 
the latter as to open the dark secrets of a corrupt heart, and pave the 
way for a restoration to the paths of virtue. 

There are many convicts, no doubt, who are cast down by crime. 
They look upon the pale of honest society as effectually barred 
against them, and it is supposed that many might be restored, by 
means of a benevolent and sympathizing, yet virtuous friend, who 
would teach them that the path yet lay open, and that in their strug- 
gle to cast off the slough of vice there would be many hands to help 
them. 

Your committee have reason to believe that the effects of the 
constitution of this office are highly beneficial, and they cannot adopt 
any of the reasons of the opponents of this measure. In reference 
to the argument that its establishment would encourage sectarianism, 
although in a grave report, it seems unbecoming to entertain the view 
for a moment, the conduct of the board of inspectors in this instance 
at once nullifies the objection. It is known that the present incumbent 
is not of the denomination of professing christians, in fellowship 
with any one of the board, and indeed it is not known, that there is 
any officer connected with that establishment, from the president 
down to the watchman, who is of the same sect. Preachers of all 
denominations are freely admitted into the penitentiary, and the views 
of the managers, do not accord with the promulgation of any pecu- 
liar doctrine. 

In conclusion your committee report, that the internal police and 
domestic arrangements of the Eastern Penitentiary, as conducted at 
present, is unexceptionable. Great attention seems to be paid to 
cleanliness and to the general health of the prisoners ; quiet and order 
seems to prevail, and in the course of this examination your commit- 
tee have had evidence, that as far as can reasonably be expected, 
cheerfulness and hope seems to pervade. 



The track marked out for investigation, has led your t^Lxuee to 
cast a cursory glance at the other establishments of the State, and 
through the medium of reports to take a view of the general opera- 
tion of the system, now emphatically termed the " Pennsylvania 
system." 

The Western Penitentiary, since its adaptation to the discipline of 
the Eastern Penitentiary, by the erection of new buildings, bids fair 
to render aid in carrying out the great object proposed, and the Moy- 
amensing prison, though not strictly a State institution, yet by reason 
of the conformity of the laws in relation to minor offences and to 
first imprisonments, is made to contribute very efficiently to the 
thorough and perfect working of the scheme. 

Your committee have not as yet, discovered that these institutions 
need any present legislation— the laws already passed and in opera- 
tion, are deemed quite adequate to the purposes designed, and on the 
whole it may be considered that this branch of state organization is 
completed and must have a healthful operation so long as its details 
are, as they at present seem -to be, faithfully administered. 

Appended to this report are sets of interrogatories addressed to 
directors of the several institutions, with their answers, embodying 
an amount of statistical information which will be at all times useful, 
whenever this subject calls for public information. All of which is 
respectfully submitted. 



CIRCULAR. 

Senate Chamber, 

Harrisburg, Jan. 17, 1839. 

A committee has been appointed by the Senate of Pennsylvania, to 
examine into the management and condition of the Eastern Peniten- 
tiary at Philadelphia. 

The committee having entered upon the performance of that duty, 
find that it is of the utmost importance to the successful prosecution of 
the inquiry, that they should be able to obtain such information re- 
lative to the management and condition of the various State prisons 
throughout the Union as they may be able to procure. 

Therefore, in behalf of the committee, I respectfully submit the 
subjoined interrogatories, trusting that you will give an early answer 
to them, and such other information relative to the subject of inquiry 
as you may be disposed to communicate. 

As soon as the report is made and submitted to the Senate, I will 
forward you a copy. 

Very respectfully, 

Your obedient servant, 

W. T. ROGERS, 
Chairman of the Committee. 



INTERROGATORIES. 



1. The commencement of the institution and its practical effects. 

2. The number of officers, their yearly salaries, their duties, and 
the compensation to under keepers and others employed, and what 
portion of them board and reside within the prison buildings. 

3. The number of buildings, their cost, the amount appropriated 
by the State for their erection, whether completed, and their dimen- 
sions. 

4. The number of prisoners received in each and every year, the 
number discharged, showing the increase and decrease, the number of 
pardons granted in each year, and whether any so pardoned have 
been reconvicted ? 



5. The number of prisoners reconvicted, and for what crimes? 

6. The genera] health of the prisoners ; number of deaths in every 
year, and from what cause ? 

7. The daily employment of prisoners, of what kind, and whether 
undergoing solitary confinement or otherwise ? 

8. The number of prisoners, designating their 'colour, whether 
male or female, their places of nativity, particularly the colored pri- 
soners ? 

9. The general habits of the prisoners, and their employment and 
conduct previous to conviction ? 

10. The course of treatment and respective employment of the 
prisoners, and their daily working hours? 

11. Education of prisoners, designating the number that can read 
and write, those who cannot, and how many have been educated ? 

12. Habits of prisoners, the number who have been intemperate, 
moderate drinkers, and those who have entirely refrained from the 
use of intoxicating liquors ? 

13. Relations — married, unmarried, widowers, apprentices, and 
how many have been bound and absconded from their employers, and 
the number of those without trades ? 

14. Ages of prisoners, number convicted under twenty years of 
age, and designating the number of those between the ages of twenty, 
thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, and upwards ? 

15. Number of prisoners received and discharged in good health, 
those received and discharged in imperfect health, the number dis- 
charged in better health than received, and those discharged in worse 
health than received? 

16. Has solitary confinement, or the separate and silent system, 
any visible effects upon the general health or minds of the prisoners ? 

17. Are prisoners generally reformed or otherwise at the expira- 
tion of their sentence, or when liberated from prison ? 

18. Are the number of foreign prisoners, (emigrants) increasing; 
and if so, from what cause? 

19. The general habits of foreign prisoners, whether educated, in- 
dustrious, sober, coming to this country with their own means, or 
whether some of them have been guilty of crime, or paupers, and 
their expenses paid by government or voluntary contributions by 



10 



corporations, associations or otherwise, previous to their arrival and 
conviction in this country ? 

20. What is the average daily earnings of prisoners for the past 
or previous years, who enjoy good health, and the average cost to 
feed, clothe and take care of them daily ? 

21. Food, of what kind, and the quantity allowed to each pri- 
soner ? 

22. The general conduct of the prisoners, whether inclined to be 
industriously employed, obeying their keepers, and the modes of 
punishment for refusing to work or for disobedience ? 

23. The plan of the prison, designating the number of cells on 
the different ranges, their size, and the fixtures allowed ? 

24. Articles manufactured — of what kind and quality, how the 
materials are purchased, and in what manner disposed of after man- 
ufactured ? 

25. What attention is paid to the education or improving the pri- 
soners in reading, writing, the books used, and whether they receive 
any moral instruction ? 

26. Is there any promotion or bounty awarded to prisoners, for 
general good conduct and steady attention to the employments as- 
signed to them ? 



ANSWERS. 



EASTERN PENITENTIARY. 

Philadelphia, March 2, 1839. 

Dear Sir — The undersigned respectfully offer the annexed 
replies to the several interrogatories contained in your circular of 
January IT, 1839. The sixth, fifteenth and sixteenth, are replied 
to by the Physician of the Penitentiary and are herewith sent as 
forming a part. 

They would have sooner been replied to, but for reasons already 
explained. 

THOMAS BRADFORD, 
MATTHEW L. BEVAN, 
R. PATTERSON, 
JOHN BACON, 
WM. H. HOOD, 

Inspectors. 
SAMUEL R. WOOD, 
Wm. T. Rogers, Esq. Warden. 

Chairman of the Committee of the Senate of Pennsylvania, 
on the Eastern Penitentiary at Philadelphia. 



1. In pursuance of an act of the Legislature, passed April 23, 
1829, the Board of Inspectors of the Eastern Penitentiary were 
appointed, and held their first meeting May 19, 1829. 

On the 29th of June, they appointed Samuel R. Wood, warden, 
who took charge of the Penitentiary on the 1st of August, and the 
first prisoner was received on the 25th of October, 1829. 

Its practical effects for more than nine years, have been excel- 
lent, and it is our opinion that it is the only penitentiary system 
that should be adopted. 

2. The number of officers in regular pay of the State is twenty- 
two— their duties and salaries as follows : 



Duties. 
Warden, 
Physician, 



Yearly salary. 
$2,000 00 
600 00 



12 



Moral instructor, 

Clerk, 

Two principal overseers each, 

Eleven deputy overseers, 

One gate keeper, 

Two watchmen, 

Nurse, 

Female overseer, 



Yearly salary* 
800 00 

1,000 00 
800 00 
600 00 
600 00 
400 00 
400 00 
400 00 



Besides these, there are seven other individuals paid out of the 
funds of the institution, employed as follows : 

Duties. Yearly salary.. 

Two yard watchmen, each, - $365 00 



One carder and spinner, 

One dyer, 

One cook and baker, 

One wagon driver, &c. 

One general superintendent of blacksmiths and car- 
perters, with general jobbing in and about peni- 
tentiary, 



416 00 
416 00 
416 00 
365 00 



507 00 



The only persons that reside within the penitentiary are the 
warden, female overseer and wagon driver, neither of whom have 
their board found bv the state. 

3. There are seven separate buildings or blocks, radiating from 
a common centre, and containing together five hundred and sixty- 
two cells. These vary in size : the smallest being eleven feet 
nine inches by seven feet six inches ; the largest sixteen feet long 
by seven feet six inches wide. The exterior wall covers about ten 
acres, the site being six hundred and fifty feet square. The whole 
is completed until it may be found necessary to increase the 
number of cells, which can be done within the present wall. 

The whole amount expended for the site and buildings was 
$673,284 64. Of this sum $657,124 09, was appropriated by 
the legislature and $16,160 55 , from the sale of city lots and 
old materials. # 

4. The number of prisoners received in each year as follows: 
Prisoners received. Prisoners discharged. Increase.. 

9 9 

49 4 45 

50 \7 33 
34 24 10 
77 20 57 

118 34 64 

217 91 126 

* In this year, 69 were received from Walnut street prison^ 



In 1829, 


In 1830, 


In 1831, 


In 1832, 


In 1833, 


In 1834, 


In 1835,* 





Prisoners received. 


Prisoners discharged. 


Increase 


In 1836, 


143 


102 


41 


In 1837, 


161 


159 


2 


In 1838, 


178 


148 


30 



The number of prisoners pardoned in each year up to the close 
of 1838, was as follows 4 

In 1831 1, In 1832 4, In 1833 2, 



In 1836 



In 1834 9, In 1835 15, 

In 1837 5, In 1838 10, 

Making a total of forty-nine, of which number none had been 
reconvicted. 

5. Sixty-five of t&e whole number discharged, five hundred and 
thirty-nine, since the opening of the institution to December 31, 
1838, have been reconvicted, for the following crimes : 

Larceny, - - 38 

Burglary, 11 

Forgery, - - 3 

Horse stealing, - - 3 

Burglary and larceny, - - - 3 

Horse stealing and larceny, 2 

Assault and battery with intent kill, - 1 

Assault and battery, 1 

Passing counterfeit money, - 3 

7. All the prisoners are kept in separate confinement. They 
were employed on the first of the year as follows: 

Weaving department, - - 155 

Shoe making, - - 148 

Carpentering, - - 4 

Blacksmithing, 4 

Tinman, - - 1 

Cooks, - - - 2 

Baker, - - 1 

Turner, 1 

Gunsmith, - - - 1 

Cooper, - - 1 

Wool pickers, - - - 24 

Tailors, 2 

Last maker, - - - 1 

Engineer, - - - 1 

Apothecary, - - 1 

Sewing, - - - . 20 

Jobbing, - - - IS 

Idle, 10 

Invalids, - - 12 

Sick, 15 



14 



S. The whole number of prisoners received up to December 31, 
1838, was 1036, their colour and sex as follows : 



White males, 


. 


. 


641 


• 




Do. females, 




- 


18 


659 




Colored males, 


. 


. 


345 






Do. females, 




* * 


32 


377 










1036 




Their places of 


Nativity as 1 


ollows : 








Pennsylvania, 


472 


District of Columbia 


t 


6 


New Jersey, 


80 


Ireland, 






83 


Delaware, 


77 


England, 






36 


New York, 


71 


Germany, 






24 


Maryland, 


80 


Scotland, 






4 


Connecticut* 


20 


France, 






S 


Virginia, 


18 


Holland, 






2 


Massachusetts, 


9 


Switzerland, 






1 


South Carolina, 


4 


Netherlands, 






1 


North Carolina, 


2 


Denmark, 






; 


Ohio, 


2 


Italy, 






Tennessee, 


1 


Belgium, 






2 


Kentucky, 


1 


Canada, 






2 


Rhode Island, 


4 


West Indies, 






9 


Vermont, 


1 


Africa, 






1 


Maine, 


4 


Spain, 






I 


New Hampshire, 


4 


South America, 






1 


Mississippi, 


2 


Poland, 






1 


Louisiana, 


2 


Unknown, 






1 


Alabama, 


1 










Total, 






1036 




Nativities of three hundred and 


seventy-seven colored prisoners. 


Pennsylvania, 


179 


Connecticut, 






2 


Delaware, 


58 


Louisiana, 






2 


Maryland, 


49 


Massachusetts, 






1 


New Jersey, 


31 


Alabama, 






1 


Virginia, 


18 


District of Columbia, 




5 


New York, 


16 


West Indies, 






6 


Mississippi, 


2 


South America, 






1 


Kentucky, 


1 


Africa, 






1 


South Carolina, 


1 


France, 






1 


North Carolina, 


1 


Unknown, 






1 



9. The general habits of most of the prisoners previous to con- 
viction, are loose and dissipated. The larger proportion have 
never been bound out during their minority, to learn a trade. 



15 



10. A reasonable amount of work is expected from each pri- 
soner. In summer they work from sunrise to sunset. In winter, 
from sunrise to half past eight o'clock. 

11. Education of prisoners. 

Can read and write, - 

Can read only, - 

Could not read or write, 



490 
254 
292 

1036 



747 
67 



Note.— -Of those who could read and write, three may be said 
to have been educated men, and twenty-four more had a tolerably 
good English education. 

12. Habits of prisoners. 

Drank and got drunk, ... 

Drank but did not get drunk, 

Sober, 

Uncertain, 

13. Relations, fyc. 

Unmarried, - 

Married, - > - 

Widows and widowers, 
Divorced, - 



10 



634 

335 

66 

1 



Bound and served till twenty-one years of age, 
Bound and left their masters before twenty-one from various 
causes, - * - 



Ages, 



Never bound, 


14. 




Under 20 


pears of age, 


From 20 to 30, 


30 


40, 


40 


50, 


50 


60, 


60 


70, 


70 


80, 



187 

219 
630 



125 

531 

224 

103 

39 

10 

4 



1036 

17. It is difficult to say whether prisoners are generally reform- 
ed, when liberated. We believe that they mostly mean to do well. 
Many who are determined to lead a life of honesty, seek places 
to settle where they are unknown. We hear good accounts of many 
and know some remarkable cases of entire reformation, as far as 
human knowledge can determine. Some return to their old vices; 



16 

but from what we know, we believe that more than one half of 
those discharged, have returned to society improved in character 
and are endeavoring to do well. 

18. The whole number of foreign prisoners (emigrants) who 
had been received up to the close of the year 1832, 

was, 25 

In the year 1833, there were 13 received. 

1834, 15 

1835, 24 

1836, 23 

1837, 38 

1838, 36 



Total, 



174 



Or 16 8.10 per cent of the whole number. 

It is worthy of remark, that the whole number of foreign Ger- 
man prisoners received up to the close of the year, 1836, a period 
of seven and a half years was, - 5 

Received in the year, 1837, - 9 

l)o. 1838, - - 10 

19. Little is positively known on the subject of this inquiry. 
But from the large increase of German prisoners, and from their 
character and conduct, we are inclined to think that they have 
been sent out as paupers from Europe. 

20. The average cost per day for each prisoner for 1837, was 
twenty- three cents, and amount of labor 13.46 cents. For 1 838, the 
cost was twenty-three cents and the labor 12.92 cents. This average 
includes both sick and well, learners and those who have trades. 
The depression in business of all kinds for the last two years 
has caused the earnings to be low, while the high price of provi- 
sions, has made the cost of maintenance high. 

21. Breakfast — one pound of wheat bread and pint of coffee. 
Dinner — three quarters of a pound of beef without bone, one pint 
of soup and potatoes. Supper — one pint or more of Indian mush 
and molasses. 

22. The conduct of the prisoners generally is good. They are 
mostly inclined to work and to obey their keepers. For laziness, 
carelessness, or disobedience to their overseers, they are deprived 
of a portion of their food. If this does not prove sufficient, they 
are placed in a dark cell on bread and water. In extreme cases, 
the straight jacket is resorted to. This is, however, rarely found 
necessary. 

23. A plan and elevation is herewith sent. 

24. The principle articles manufactured are coarse boots, bro- 
gans and shoes $ cotton cheeks and cottonades, woollen negro 



17 

cloths, plaid and plain lindsejs. The materials made into goods, 
on account of Penitentiary, are purchased, and most of the goods 
manufactured, are sold by the warden. 

25. We have a library of upwards of six hundred volumes. 

26. The inspectors and warden are allowed by law, to give a 
prisoner on his discharge four dollars, if his conduct in prison has 
been such as to deserve and his wants require it. And the Board 
have recently decided that each prisoner shall be allowed pay for 
overwork, to be given him on his discharge. 



Philadelphia, March 2, 1839. 

Sir — In submitting to the committee my answers to the medical 
queries contained in your circular of the 17th of January, 1839, 
permit me to say that owing to my appointment as physician to the 
Eastern Penitentiary of Pennsylvania, being only from the begin- 
ning of 1837, I cannot venture to give a decisive opinion of the ef- 
fects of the separate system upon the health and mind of the prison- 
ers, and that with the exception of what relates to the two last years 
of this institution, I have ho personal knowledge of the facts which 
I shall concisely state. 

1. The general health of the prisoners from the commencement 
of the institution to the present, has been always good. 

2. The number of deaths in each and every year among the 
white and colored prisoners are as follow : 

White prisoners. Dee 

In 1829, among 8 there was 
In 1830, 22 

In 1831, 48 

In 1832, 69 

In 1833, 89 

In 1834, 124 

In 1835, 158 

In 1836, 202 

In 1837, 233 

In 1838, 241 

This statement presents a mortality among the white prisoners 
of less than two per cent, and that among the colored of more than 
nine per cent. 

3. The fatal diseases among the white prisoners have been the 
following, viz : 

Pulmonary consumption, as the cause of death of 10 persons. 
Remittent fever, 1 

Brain fever, 1 

Apoplexy, 2 



;hs. 


Colored prisoners. 


Deaths. 







1 


1 


Among 9 





2 


19 


2 


1 


22 


3 


1 


34 





1 


59 


4 


2 


108 


5 


2 


148 


10 


7 


154 


10 


7 


164 


19 



18 



Epilepsy, as the cause of death of 1 person. 
Paralysis, 1 

Mania, 1 

Chronic diarrhoea, 1 

Diseased bladder and calculi, 1 

Small pox, 2 

Secondary syphilis, 1 

Scrofula, 1 

A total of 23 deaths in nine years and three months, among 659 
white prisoners. One of these deaths occurred after the hour of the 
day of the expiration of sentence. 

The fatal diseases among the colored prisoners has been as fol- 
lows : 

Chronic inflamation of the lungs, as the cause of death of 1 9 persons* 

Pulmonary consumption, 

Dropsy of the chest, 

Bronchites, 

Chronic inflamation of the stomach, 

" u " stomach and bowels, - 

" '" " bowels, 

tl " " peritoneum, 

" « " " and scrofula, 

Disease of the mesenteric glands, 
Paralysis and inflamation of the bladder, 
Palsy, 
Debility, 

Dropsy, * 

Remittent fever, 
Typhus fever, - 
Hemorrhage, 
Rheumatism, 
Suicide, 

A total of 53 deaths in nine years and three months, among 377 
colored prisoners. 

4. The number of prisoners received and discharged in good 
health are 375 

Do. do. imperfect health, 58 

Do. discharged in better health then when 

admitted, 95 

Do. do. worse health, do. 64 

5. The only answer which I can venture to give to your question 
on the visible effects of the separate svstem on the minds of the 
prisoners, as it is administered in this institutions is such as may 
be afforded by the following statement, in connexion with that al- 
ready in the possession of the Senate, contained in my last annual 
report to the inspectors, viz : prisoners received and discharged 
with disordered minds previous to January, 1837, were six; those 
received with mental disorder and discharged same, were two; 



12 
2 

1 
1 
1 
2 
2 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
2 



19 

t>ne which became disordered after admission was so discharged, 
in addition, I have been enabled from the medical records of my 
predecessor, Doctor Bache, and my own limited observation, to 
present the following important tacts on this subject, viz: 

That less than four per cent, of disordered mind has occurred 
among the white prisoners, whilst more than eight per cent, of it has 
been among the colored prisoners. 

That with but .very few exceptions, the cases have taken place 
within the first six months or more of imprisonment. 

That the common cause of it, particularly among the colored 
prisoners, is the practice of masturbation to which they are exces- 
sively addicted for the first six months or more of their imprison- 
ment, when suddenly cut oft" from their debauchery. 

That these cases of disordered mind have been almost all cured, 
-and those affected are again at work and under the practical bene- 
fit of a tJiWe and a moral instructor. 

That the limited observation of two years has exposed the princi- 
pal causes of these cases of disordered mind, as well as of the fatal 
disease of chronic inflammation of the lungs, so common among the 
colored prisoners. 

Very respectfully, 

Your obedient servant, 

W. DARRACH, 
Physician of the Eastern Penitentiary. 
To. W. T. Rogers, Esq. 

Clwwman of the Committee of the Senate, fyc. 



WESTERN PENITENTIARY, 

January 10, 1839. 

Sir — The board of inspectors of the Western Penitentiary, 
would beg leave to call your attention to their annual report, 
herewith transmitted. You will perceive thereby, that all the 
counties in this prison district have been relieved from all charge 
for keeping their convicts; a result, of course, highly beneficial to 
your constituents. 

The board find from the decay of the wooden floors in one of 
the blocks of cells that it will be necessary to replace them. True 
economy points out to us, that they ought to be laid with stone 
flags, as in the other block. This will cost us somewhere about 
■$5,000, and should we have to expend this sum, the several coun- 
ties will most probably have to pay for the maintenance of their 
convicts next year. It ought to be provided by the Legislature, 
and your constituents have a direct interest in the grant of this 
money. 



20 



We have also requested authority to employ a moral instructor^ 
At the last session one was provided for the Eastern penitentiary j 
but our application was altogether unattended to, either for that 
object or for means to pave the cells ; both of which we applied 
for. We can see no reason why this prison is not deserving of the 
aid we ask. We have done what has never before been effected in 
Pennsylvania — made the convicts maintain themselves ; and we 
would most respectfully urge your attention to the subject. 
Yours, &c. 

JAMES ANDERSON, President. 
BENJAMIN DARLINGTON. 
WILLIAM LECKY, 
JOHN IRWIN, Treasurer, 
WM. ROBINSON, Jr. Secretary, 
To Wm. T. Rogers, Esq. Inspectors. 

Senator from Buck county. 



Western Penitentiary, 

February 4, IS 39. 

Sir — In accordance with the requirements contained in the cir- 
cular, transmitted through you to the president of the board of 
inspectors of the Western Penitentiary, the following answers are 
given to the interrogatories in the order in which they occur ; and 
we hope they will prove entirely satisfactory. 

With sentiment of much respect, we remain, 
Yours, most resDectfullv. 

JAMtS ANDERSON, President, 
of the Board of Inspectors of Western Penitentiary. 

To Wm. T. Rogers, Esq. Chairman, 

of the Committee of the Senate of the State of Pennsylvania, 



Interrogatory I. — "The commencement of the institution, and 
its practical effects?" 

Answer. — The buildings were commenced in the year 1818, 
under a board of commissioners ; and the rebuilding of the cells 
in the year 1833, under a board of inspectors ; and the system of 
solitary confinement in November, 1836, from which time we con- 
sider the practical effects entirely satisfactory. 

Int. 2. — " The number of officers, their yearly salaries, duties, 
and the compensation to underkeepers and others employed, and 
what portion of them board and reside within the prison build- 
ings P 



21 



.tins — There are nine officers, viz : One warden, at a salary of 
$1,200; physician, $500 ; clerk, $600; two overseers, $700 each; 
three overseers at $600 each; one engineer, $520; two overseers, 
superintend the weaving department ; -two the shoe department, 
and one the oakum pickers, carpenters, tailors, eook, baker, &c. 
two reside in the prison buildings; none board. 

Int. 3. — "The number of buildings, their cost, the amount ap- 
propriated by the State for their erection, their dimensions, and 
whether completed ?" 

&ns.< — The number of the buildings are ten, viz: the front or 
main building, one hundred and twenty- two feet in length ; thirty- 
one feet in depth, and three stories in height, exclusive of the 
basement story. Four towers at -each alternate angle of the inclos- 
ing wall. Each tower is thirty teet in diameter and four stories 
high. The observatory, which connects the sections of cells with 
the main building is two stories high, sixty-one feet long and thirty- 
three feet wide; with which is connected a bakery, kitchen, wash- 
house and yarn depository. The blacksmith shop and dye house 
is a building one story high; forty-four feet long and nineteen feet 
wide; containing three rooms, one for a blacksmith shop, and 
two for dyeing yarn. The carpenter's shop is one story high, 
eighty-four feet long and nineteen feet wide, containing seven 
rooms; four of which are appropriated for carpenters — one for a 
flour store, one for leather and one for molasses. This building 
at the time of its completion, January 2, 1828, was transferred by 
the commissioners who superintended its construction, into the 
hands of the inspectors, and cost at that date, $183,091 87 

Rebuilding of sections A and B, 110,084 11 

$293,175 -98 



The original cells were pulled down, because of their defective- 
ness of plan and construction, and those substituted were com- 
pleted in 1836; since when $13,547 92 have been expended in 
building carpenter's shop, blacksmith shop, sewer, stone figging, 
•&c. Therefore, the total cost of this establishment, including 
outer wall, fencing, &c. from its commencement up to January 1, 
1839, was $306,723 90- 

Int. 4. — "The number of prisoners received in each and every 
year, the number discharged; showing the increase and decrease ; 
the number of pardons granted in each year, and whether any so 
pardoned have been reconvicted?" 

Ans.>— il The number of persons received in each and every year 
is as follows : 

In 1826, - - 10 

.1827, 29 

1828, - - 4S 



22 



In 1829 , 
1830, 
1831, 

1832, 
1833, 
1834, 
1835, 
1836, 
1837, 
1838, 



In 1827, 
1828, 
1829, 
183(V 
1831, 
1832, 
1833, 
1834, 
1835, 
1836, 
1837, 
1838, 



Number of Pardons. 



Total, 



78 



Pardoned and reconvicted, 



Int. 5.— "The number of persons reconvicted, and for what 



crimes 



?» 



Am. — Larceny, 

Horse stealing, 

Receiving stolen goods, 

Arson, 

Murder in second degree, 

Attempt at rape, 

Burglary, 

Total, 



47 
9 

1 
1 

1 
1 

62 



Int. 6. — " The general health of the prisoners in every, the 
number of deaths, and from what caused ?" 

Ans. The general health of the prison has been good from the 
commencement to the present time, with the exception of the year 
1833, when the cholera was rife over the whole country ; and the 
year 1836, when many of the prisoners were affected with vario- 
loid and small pox. Prison went into operation in 1826. 



23 



In 1826, 


No deaths. 






1827, 


do. 








1828, : 


No. 22 died from dropsy. — Received i 


sick. 




« 


46 died from typhus fever, * 


do. 




1829, 


No deaths. 






1830, 


64 died from consumption, " 


do. 




a 


5 


" inflamation of liver, 


received sick. 


a 


19 


« old age, 


(6 


well. 


1831, 


76 


*' consumption, 


ti 


sick. 


1832, 


99 


a tt 


4( 


sick. 


it 


72 


't n 


n 


sick. 


1833, 


32 


a a 


(C 


well. 


tf 


21 


" gastro-enteritis, 


ti 


well. 


u 


135 


it n 


a 


sick. 


1834, 


110 


tj a 


a 


well. 


a 


221 


" voluntary starvation, " 


well. 


1835, 


92 


66 consumption, 


Li 


well. 


t< 


195 


" gastro-enteritis, 


U 


well. 


a 


236 


" consumption, 


ti 


sick. 


1836, 


292 


M gastro-enteritis, 


ti 


well. 


n 


307 


" small pox, 


ii 


well. 


it 


339 


M do. 


ii 


sick. 


183?, 


No deaths. 






1838, 


508 died from gastro-enteritis, 


it 


sick. 


a 


521 died from consumption, 


it 


do. 


In 1828, 


. 


. 




2 


1830, 




. 


- 


3 


1831, 


- 


- ' 




1 


1832, 




- 


- 


2 


1833, 


. 


- 




3 


1834, 




- 


. 


2 


1835, 


- 


- 




3 


1836, 




- 


-' 


3 


1838, 


- 


- 




2 



Total, 



21 



Int. 7. "The daily employment of the prisoners, of what kind, 
and whether undergoing solitary confinement or otherwise?" 

JLns. The prisoner? are daily employed in tailoring, shoemaking, 
weaving, carpenter work, blacksmithing, burnishing silver and 
oakum picking. All are in solitary confinement. 

Int. 8. " The number of prisoners, designating their color, wheth- 
er male or female, their places of nativity, particularly the colored 
prisoners?" 

Jlns. The whole number of prisoners at the present time is, 107. 
Twenty-five colored — twenty-four males and one female. Eighty- 
two white — seventy-nine males and three females. 



24 



Places of Nativity. 




Pennsylvania, 48 Rhode Island, 


3 


Maryland, 5 Michigan, 


1 


Virginia, 7 Ireland, 


12 


North Carolina, 2 England, 


4 


New York, 8 Canada, 


4 


Connecticut, 2 France, 


3 


Massachusetts, 3 East Indies, 


1 


New Jersey, 1 Germany, 


2 


Ohio, 1 




Places of Nativity of the Colored prisoners. 




Pennsylvania, 17 Virginia, 


3 


Maryland, 4 North Carolina, 


1 



Total, 



25 



Int. 9. " The general habit of the prisoners, and their employ- 
ment and conduct previous to conviction ?" 

Jlns. In a great majority of cases the habit of the prisoners have 
been dissolute and intemperate previous to conviction. The em- 
ployments, so far as could be ascertained, have been various. The 
largest number appears to have been derived from that claims of la- 
borers employed about the public improvements, and a large re- 
presentation from amongst stage and coach drivers, wagoners, &c. 
Among the tradesmen the largest numher are shoemakers. 

Int. 10. "The course of treatment and respective employment 
of the prisoners, and their daily working hours." 

Ans. The course of treatment is mild and conciliatory, except 
with those who are determined to be refractory and disobedient, 
the coercive measures have been required and enforced. Employ- 
ments as described in answer to interrogatory No. 7. 

Int. 11. "Education of prisoners, designating the number that 
can read and write, those who cannot, and how many have been 
educated ?" 

Jins. Oat of 114 prisoners received within two years past, sixty- 
five could read and write ; forty-nine could neither read nor write. 
Two out of the whole number have received collegiate educations, 
and one of the two had graduated both in law and medicine. 

Int. 12. *' Habits of prisoners, the number who have been intem- 
perate, moderate drinkers, and those who have entirely refrained 
from the use of intoxicating liquors?" 

JLns. Out of 114 prisoners, sixty were decidedly intemperate, 
forty-eight moderate drinkers, and but six temperate!! 

Int. 13. Relations— -married, widowers, apprentices, and how 



25 



many have been bound and absconded from their employers, and 
the number of those without trades?" 

Ans. Married forty-seven; single fifty-eight; widowers nine; 
total 1 14. Without trades sixty-six ; bound and absconded twen- 
ty-five; with trades twenty-three. 

Int. 14. Ages of prisoners, number convicted under twenty years 
of age, and designating the number of those between the ages of 
twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty and upwards?" 

dns. Under 20 years of age, - 87 

Between 20 and 30 - 263 

30 40 - - 125 

40 50 - - - 80 

50 60 - - - 28 

60 70 - - 8 

70 80 - - - 2 



Total, 



593 



Int. 15. " Number of prisoners received and discharged in good 
health, those received and discharged in imperfect health, the num- 
ber discharged in better health than received and those discharged 
in worse health than received?" 

Jlns. Received and discharged in good health 572, and as a gen- 
eral answer to the second query of the above interrogatory, it may 
be observed that all the prisoners are noted on the books as either 
sick or well, and not the degree of indisposition ; but it may be con- 
fidently answered that a large majority have been discharged in bet- 
ter health than when received. 

Int. 16. " Has solitary confinement, or the separate and silent 
system, any visible effects upon the general health or minds of the 
prisoners ?" 

Jins. It is not surprising that persons entirely unacquainted with 
the practical working of the Pennsylvania system of solitary con- 
finement, should consider entire seclusion from all society and the 
exaction of profound silence from those confined as the height of 
cruelty, and of necessity inimical to health. Many respectable in- 
dividuals are of this opinion ; such, however, is not our experi- 
ence. 'A large majority of persons sent to our penitentiaries are 
those who have been guilty of larceny, of intemperance and its ac- 
companying vices.and whose lives have been a continued scene of riot 
and disorder. In such cases, confinement seems to operate bene- 
ficially, not only on the body, but the mind; and such is almost 
the unanimous opinion of the culprits themselves. The body is 
relieved from the morbid effects of intemperance, and the mind in 
time acquires an equanimity which those individuals had not enjoy- 
ed for years. There is, however, another class of prisoners who 
do, for a time, suffer much from our system of rigid confinement. 
Those, for instance, who have committed murder or other grave of- 



26 



fences* from a sudden outbreak of passion or other powerful temp- 
tation, without previous demoralization of character. Such persons 
suffer all the dreadful effects of a rapid transition ftom a station of 
respectability in society to the self-conscious degradation incident 
to penitentiary punishment. But man, it is well known, is the crea- 
ture of habit; and even with the above class of persons this principle 
does not fail of its wonted action. They too, in process of time, 
become calm and reconciled to their situation. Several of the pri- 
soners have from time to time simulated mania, but in no instance 
since the opening of this prison has there been a genuine case of 
permanent alienation of mind. As is observed in the annual re- 
port of the physician for the year 1838, " when the diet is suffi- 
cient in quantity and good in quality, with the maintenance ot a 
free circulation of air in the cells, and a kind but firm treatment 
of the prisoners," there is beyond all controversy, no cause of ap- 
prehension of a deterioation either of body or mind. 

It may be remarked, in answer to the twelfth interrogatory, under 
the head of u habits of prisoners," that there has been received 
within the two years just passed, one hundred and fourteen individ- 
uals, one hundred and eight of whom, by their own showing, have 
been drunkards; from which we infer and would respectfully sug- 
gest to the honorable committee, of which you are chairman, the 
urgent necessity of proposing tor the action of the legislature, some 
strong measures against the root of the whole evil — the license 
system. 

Inter. 17. — w Are prisoners generally reformed or otherwise, at 
the expiration of the sentence or when liberated from prison?" 

Sns. Prisoners generally evince on their liberation, a firm reso- 
lution to reform and become good citizens. Several from whom 
we have heard, since their discharge, have maintained a fair char- 
acter for propriety of deportment. Of others, however, we have 
great fears, that they never will be able to resist the seductive in- 
fluences of the "grog shop. 11 

Int. 18. — « Are the number of foreign prisoners, (emigrants) 
increasing; and if so, from what cause]'' 

JLns. The following table shows the number in each year. 
In 1826 - - - - • 2 



1827 
1828 
1829 
1830 
1831 
1832 
1833 
1834 
1835 
1836 



8 

10 

7 

8 

9 

5 

22 

15 

14 

11 



27 



In 1837 
1838 



Total, 



8 
14 

133 



The causes of the fluctuating increase and diminution of the 
above class of prisoners cannot satisfactorily be ascertained. 

Inter. 19. " The general habits of the foreign prisoners; whe- 
ther educated, industrious, sober, coming to this country with 
their own means, or whether some of them have been guilty of 
crime, or paupers and their expense paid by government, or volun- 
tary contributions, by corporations, associations or otherwise, pre- 
vious to their arrival and conviction in this country?" 

Ans. Foreigners, previous to their imprisonment, are generally 
intemperate and seldom educated. All have arrived in this coun- 
try with their own means, so far as we are able to ascertain. 

Inter. 20. — «' What is the average daily earnings of prisoners for 
the past or previous years, who enjoy good health, and the average 
cost to feed, clothe and take care of them daily ?" 

Ans. For the past year the daily average earnings amount to 
twenty-seven cents and three quarters, each prisoner. Expenses 
each nineteen cents for food and clothing. 

Inter. 21. — " Food, of what kind, and the quantity allowed to 
each prisoner 1" 

Ans. The food consists of beef, bread, potatoes, soup, beans, 
cabbage, onions, turnips and coffee and molasses. The allow- 
ance to each prisoner is three quarters of a pound of beef, cut from 
the bone ; bread, from one to one and a half pounds per diem ; 
three potatoes each ; one quart of soup thickened with beans and 
flour, to which are frequently added cabbage, turnips, and onions; 
one pint of coffee to each per diem, and half a gallon of molasses 
each month. 

Inter. 22. — " The general conduct of the prisoners, whether in- 
clined to be industriously employed, obeying their keepers and the 
modes of punishment for refusing to work, or for disobedience?" 

Jlns. The general conduct of the prisoners is good. They 
generally prefer employment, and are disposed to obey their keep- 
ers. Punishment is rarely needed in this prison ; but when found 
necessary, the straight jacket is applied, and sometimes confine- 
ment in a straight box, is salutary as a means of curbing passion ; 
and occasionally the stoppage of a meal, operates beneficially in 
subduing the unruly. 

Inter. 23. — « The plan of the prison, designating the number of 
cells on the different ranges, their size, and the fixtures allowed ?" 

Jlns. The general plan of the buildings has been given in the 
answer to Interrogatory No. 3, and we now proceed to say, that 
the plans of the cells and fixtures, is as follows : The two blocks of 



28 



ceKs already completed, radiate from the centre of the observato- 
ry and are two stories in height and each block or section, con- 
tains four ranges of cells. Block A, contains seventy-six cells — 
the cells of the lower ranges, are each fifteen feet long, by seven 
feet six inches wide. The cells in the upper ranges are eleven 
feet six inches long by seven feet six inches in width. Block B, 
contains one hundred and four cells, two stories highland the same 
arrangement of cells as in block A. The lower ranges have the 
cells fifteen feet long and eight feet wide, and the upper ranges 
eleven feet long by eight feet width. The fixtures for each cell, is 
a wooden bedstead, straw bed and pillow; four blankets, two 
sheets ; two tin pans, one tin cup ; one dusting and one scrubbing 
brush ; one bucket or tub \ one spoon and one molasses can ; 
one small looking glass, and they are supplied with a razor twice 
in each week. The cells are heated by steam, and are furnished 
with a hydrant of fresh water and a water closet. 

Inter. 24. — " Articles manufactured, of what kind and quality 5 
how the materials are purchased, and in what manner disposed of 
after manufactured V 9 

Arts. The articles manufactured are boots and shoes, tickings, 
checks, sheetings, muslin, drilling, and tuckapan. The articles 
manufactured are of the best quality, and are preferred in our 
market, to sin ilar articles manufactured elsewhere. The pur- 
chases and sales are conducted by the warden, under a regulation 
of the board of inspectors. 

Inter. 25.— " What attention is paid to the education or impro- 
ving the prisoners in reading, writing, the books used and whether 
they receive any moral instruction ?" 

Am. The only instruction that the prisoners has received, has 
been given by the warden and overseers, which although limited, 
has in many instances proved beneficial. The books used are 
the bible, spelling book, tracts, arithmetics and slates. For 
moral and religious instruction, we depend upon the kindness of 
the neighboring clergy. 

Inter. 26. — "Is there any promotion or bounty awarded to pri- 
soners, for general good conduct and steady attention to the em- 
ployment assigned to them V 9 

Ans. Within the last two years, task work has been introduced 
into ihis prison, and we think with encouraging results. For their 
over work, they are paid at the period of their discharge and that 
is proportioned to the ^ood conduct and industry of the prisoners. 
Should any further information on this most interesting subject be 
required by the committee, the board of inspectors will be most 
happy at any time, to communicate any information that may be 
in their possession. 

N. B. Only forty-one prisoners out of the whole number of 
recommittals (sixty-two.) were ever confined in the prisons of this 
state before. 



29 



CONNECTICUT STATE PRISON. 

The convicts were removed from " Newgate," to this prison m 
October 1827, being eighty-one in number. They continued to 
increase up to 1836, since which time they have rather diminished. 

The whole amount of profits after defraying every expense for 
the support and management of the convicts since its location 
here, up to March 31, 1838, is, $36,348 65 

Cost of the entire establishment, 51,908 37 



Profit over entire cost, 



$4,440 28 



The officers are Warden, 
Deputy do. 
Chaplain, 
Physician, 

Five overseers, each, 
Hall keeper, 
Gate, do. 
Four watchmen each, 
Matron and assistant, 



$1,200 00 per annum 



600 


00 


a 


do. 


500 


00 


it 


do. 


200 


00 


<( 


do. 


300 00 and board, 


240 


00 


a 


do. 


240 


00 


<-. 


do. 


200 00 


a 


do. 


240 


00 







It cost the State for the support of their convicts, (about half 
the number,) at the Newgate prison, over and above a// their earn- 
ings tor the same length of time $79,000 ; thus you see, since this 
prison has been in operation, it has saved the state $135,348 65. 

salary, 

do. 

do. 

do, 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

do. 

The warden, deputy warden, chaplain, part of the overseers, hall 
and gate keeper and watchmen reside within the prison building. 

A plan accompanying this, will give the size and shape of the 
building. Their cost together with seventeen acres of good land, 
was 51,908 37 — 42,281 27, of which is the cost of the main pri- 
son building, shops, wall, land, $-c. The solitary prison, erected 
in 1835, cost $3,320 90. A large stone dwelling house, brick store 
houses, fence around the same erected in 1837, cost $6,306 19. 

The number of prisoners received yearly varies from fifty and 
sixty; the two last years there were fifty-seven each year, and 
about the same number of discharged each year. Last year, how- 
ever, they were greater, being seventy-four; fifty-nine of which 
were discharged by expiration of sentence, eight by pardor, three 
by order of court, and four died. From five to eight are pardoned 
yearly, average deaths since the location of the prison at W ethers- 
field two per cent. Three only of those pardoned by the legisla- 
ture have been recommitted, and about ten per cent, of those who 
have been discharged by expiration of sentence, all for burglary or 
theft. 

The general health of the prison has been good, most of those 
who have died in prison, came with broken constitutions, and were 
otherwise diseased. Many of the convicts ruin their constitutions 
while here. 



30 



At this time the prisoners are employed as follows, viz : 

25 in smith shop. 

35 making pistols and rifles. 

15 in carpenter's shop. 
70 in chair shop. 

25 in shoe shop. 

16 females, cooking, washing, mending and other work. 
3 deranged in solitary or new prison. 

5 waiters, nurses, &c. 

The number at this time is one hundred and ninety-four; one 
hundred and seventy-eight males, and sixteen females; forty-six 
of these are blacks and mulattoes, a few of which say thev have 
been slaves at the south, and ran away from their masters —about 
one half of the whole number are natives of Connecticut, the re- 
mainder are from almost every State in the Union, with the excep- 
tion of a few foreigners, say six or eight. 

The convicts generally are inclined to be industrious, after they 
are brought here, when however, they are their own masters, they 
are, most of them indolent and lazy, they will go hungry, dirty 
and ragged before they will work. 

At daylight every morning (Sunday excepted,) the convicts are 
unlocked and marched from their cells to the shops by the over- 
seers, under whose immediate eye they are every moment they 
are out of their cells. The locking up or unlocking is always 
done under the immediate eye of the warden or deputy warden. 

They work in perfect silence, (not even being allowed to speak 
to each other in any place,) about one hour and a half, when they 
are all brought into a line, (see plan,) and marched lock-step into 
the hall or space between the cells and guard room, when they 
attend prayers, then march around the block of cells, taking their 
rations at (see plan,) on their way to their cells, when they are all 
locked up; all the officers except one leave the hall and go to their 
meals — (one officer is always in the hall with them when in their 
cells,) thirty minutes is allowed for meals when they again go into 
the yard, and so on. In the summer season they are shut up for 
the night at six o'clock, at other times of the year at sunset, at 
all times of the year we turn them out for labor at day-light in the 
morning. 

For ages of convicts (see reports.) We have none in constant 
solitary confinement except those insane, and can therefore only 
give our opinion, from reading, reflection and a slight personal 
examination of the Eastern Penitentiary at Philadelphia. I have 
thought that there was many reasons for giving preference to the 
Pennsylvania system of prison discipline, over that of ours; in fact, 
that it was the carrying out of the Auburn or Wethersfield system. 
I have neither time nor space to go into the general merits of the 
subject, but will name a few reasons that have operated on my mind, 



31 



and led me to the above opinion. Their cells are sufficiently la; ge; 
if well aired, kept clean, &c. they are not exposed to severe 
weather, as is often the case in prisons on this or the Auburn 
plan. When they work together in shops, they necessarily are 
kept very warm; on leaving their shops, (perhaps in the midst of a 
cold snow or rain storm,) they often take cold, and many who have 
diseases about them are made worse. Their exposure to heat and 
cold cannot be avoided on the Auburn system; they cannot, like 
freemen, favor themselves by going to and from their shops, a few 
minutes sooner or later; neither can they, like ourselves, put on 
warmer clothing, but they must (according to the system) at the 
appointed hour, let it be foul or fair, rain or snow, take their places 
in the open air, without any more clothing than they had on in their 
warm shops. The effect is, that in bad seasons of the year a large 
portion are constantly afflicted with colds. 

All this exposure to heat and cold is avoided in the Eastern 
Penitentiary. In case of any prevalent disease, too, a far less 
number would be exposed were they confined separately day and 
night. 

In regard to the moral effects of the solitary system, I will 
only say that in my opinion it is calculated to be more useful in 
reforming the convicts^ than when they are permitted to congre- 
gate together for public worship or work. The convicts never see 
each other ; this is the first step towards reform. The solitary 
prisoner, can be visited and conversed with alone, by his teacher, 
he hears for himself, and knows what is said is meant for him, and 
not for others. The young offender has no means of receiving 
lessons, (even by looks,) from those more hardened in crime. If 
his keepers be good men, he surely can be taught nothing but good; 
when associated with hardened villains, they will find some oppor- 
portunity, (let them be watched ever so close,) to instil into his 
mind evil instead of good. I will not say there is no such thing as 
reforming convicts while associated together; of those thoroughly 
reformed, the cases must be very rare. We should not expect to 
reform a son from drunkenness by shutting him up with a parcel of 
drunkards, or from gambling by placing him in a company of black 
legs — even were they restrained entirely for the time being from 
the cup and gaming table. In their solitary cells having good 
teachers, their minds may be brought into the path of virtue, from 
which many (seeing and reflecting upon their former degradation,) 
repent the error of their ways and ever after pursue the path of 
peace. 

In all this perhaps I am mistaken. We hear from some who 
have been confined here, that they are now steady, sober good citi- 
zens, and perhaps the number of such is as large as that of any 
other prison, in comparison with the number discharged. 



32 



For daily rations, quantity and quality, 
mode of punishment, 

instruction of convicts and duties of chaplain, 
powers and duties of warden and other officers, 

See rules and regulations accompanying this. 
About one-fourth cannot read or write ; one-third cannot write 
when sent to prison, and none have had classical or collegiate edu- 
cation ; less than half have been married; but few widowers. 
Seventy-two in one hundred never learnt trades. 
Three-fourths of the convicts have been intemperate. 
Ninety in one hundred moderate drinkers. 

Each cell is furnished with a Bible. No bounty or promotion is 
awarded to prisoners for doing which the law requires them to do 
without. 

We require of every prisoner, silence, obedience, industry, and 
a strict compliance with every rule. If they do this cheerfully, 
they get pleasant looks and kind words. Comply with these rules 
they must. 

From the foregoing, and from our two last reports and the print- 
ed rules and regulations together with a ground plan which accom- 
pany this, I trust you will find answers to all your enquiries, al- 
though perhaps not in the order in which they were propounded. 

Respectfully yours, 

AMOS PILSBURY, Warden. 
P. L. COOLIDGE, Clerk. 
Connecticut State Prison, 
February 5, 1839. 

P. S. — We should be happy to receive any reports or other mat- 
ter concerning your prisons, published during the present session 
of your legislature. 



VERMONT STATE PRISON. 



State Prison Office, 

Windsor, Ft., February 18, 1839. 

My Dear Sir:— A communication from His Excellency Gover- 
nor Jenison, conveying your circular of January 15, containing 
sundry interrogatories on the subject of State prison affairs, has 
been received at this office. 

I regret to state that it arrived in my absence and was unopened, 
which has so delayed my answer that I presume it will be of very 
little service to you, as your enquiries will undoubtedly be closed 
before this reaches you. 



33 



I send you my last report to the Governor, by which you will 
derive some of the information desired, and say generally that our 
prison was erected in 1808, and received convicts in May, 1809. 
First built in old fashioned style with cells to contain from six to 
ten or twelve convicts, a heavy stone edifice, and for one of that 
sort tolerably secure. This is entirely superseded by the " new 
prison," on the Auburn plan, 117 feet long by 45 feet wide, con- 
tains 138 cells ranged in four divisions or stories of convenient 
height, and dimensions for one convict only. The officers are a 
superintendent appointed by the legislature annually, and his com- 
pensation fixed by therri, generally $850 ; a deputy warden or prin- 
cipal keeper appointed by the superintendent, and resides in the 
prison house and found by the State, and paid $400. 

The turnkeys or shopkeepers and guard are employed by the 
superintendent, who removes them at pleasure, and pays them as 
their respective duties or responsibilities require, seldom exceeding 
thirty dollars per month, and sometimes as low as twelve dollars. 
The chaplain receives $300, and the surgeon is paid according to 
the services rendered, varying from eighty to one hundred and fifty 
dollars per annum. All the officers and attendants board and re- 
side within the prison buildings and are found by the State, except 
the superintendent, chaplain and physician. The average number 
of convicts previous to 1837, was one hundred and fifteen; since 
then and including that year ninety-three ; present number ninety- 
one and decreasing. Number committed in 1837» thirty; in 1838, 
thirty-two. Deaths in 1837, two; in 1838, one. Pardoned in 
1837, ten; in 1838, nine. Reconvictions are almost uniformly for 
one and the same offence, viz: theft — the average annual number 
from four to seven. Some of those pardoned have been reconvict- 
ed. The most fatal diseases in prison are of pulmonary kind, and 
we consider it much more certain that lung complaints will be fatal 
here than any other ; the victim seldom or never escapes. Al- 
though there are now some complaining, yet there is no case of se- 
vere or dangerous disease ; one or two have chronic symptoms. 
No death has occurred since April last, and none have been so un- 
well as to require a removal to the hospital since that time. 

The convicts are treated mildly, and severe and frequent pun- 
ishments discarded. No convict is punished by an under officer, 
and all complaints are considered by the superintendent if presents 
if not, by the principal keeper or deputy warden, who sometimes 
punishes very young convicts with stripes, generally with solitary 
confinement and short allowance. 

Convicts are mostly employed in the workshops. Rifles, shoes 
and patent pumps are the principal manufactures. 

The prisoners, or a great majority of them, are very illiterate, 
oflow origin and light intellect. The foreigners, most of whom 
are Canadians and Irish, are almost wholly so. On this subject the 
community generally have very erroneous ideas. They generally 

3 



34 

consider them as a daring and smart and rather accomplished set 
of villains. The very reverse of this is the fact in this prison, and 
I am fully satisfied it is so in others. 

That there is an increase of foreign convicts at all our prisons, 
is undoubtedly true. Foreigners are rapidly emigrating, and the 
times hard, operating to raise the price of provisions, together with 
their ignorance of our institutions, are the most prominent causes. 
Our prisoners are well fed ; a meat diet, beef, mutton, (lately we 
use pork and fish considerably,) potatoes and occasionally other 
sauce twice a day. Bread and (domestic) coffee at night. 

There is no bounty allowed for overwork or for good conduct, ex- 
cept to a trifling amount; not so much as perhaps there should be. 
In haste, respectfully yours, 

MILTON BROWN, 

Superintendent, 

N. B. — I regret that I could not have given you a more timely 

and perfect answer. If, however, your enquiries are not through, 

and any further information is desired, I shall take great pleasure 

in answering any communication from you. 

Your obedient servant, 

MILTON BROWN. 



MARYLAND PENITENTIARY. 

Baltimore, t>th April, 1839. 
To his Excellency William Grayson, 

Governor of Maryland. 

Sir :— We have the honor to present to your Excellency, the 
following answers to the Interrogatories, which you recently trans- 
mitted to us, as having been received by you from the committee 
appointed by the Senate of Pennsylvania, to inquire into^the man- 
agement and condition ot the Eastern Penitentiary at Philadel- 
phia. 

1st Interrogatory .—•" The commencement of the institution and 
its practical effects ]" 

Answer. The Maryland Penitentiary was opened for the recep- 
tion of convicts in November, 181 1, when fifty-one prisoners were, 
with their own consent, removed to it from the public roads, on which 
they had been sentenced to labor under previous laws. The first 
prisoner under the penitentiary laws, was received on the 24th 
January, 1812. 

The institution, like the contemporary prisons of other states, 
had not been planned with any view to the separation of tUe con- 
victs, either in their sleeping apartments at night, or during the 
periods of labor by day, and whilst it retained its original internal 
structure, its effects were but such as those which resulted gener- 



35 



ally from the imperfect system that prevailed, until the improved 
discipline of New York," attracted public attention and interest, 
and began to be adopted in other places, either as existing in New- 
York, or as further improved, in its adaptation to another form of 
buildings, in the state of Pennsylvania. 

The ill effects of the penitentiary system in its incipient stage, 
unprovided as it then was, with any means at all adequate to re- 
form, or preventive of further depravation, are too well known to 
require any comment here; and not until very recently, has this 
institution been fully possessed of the advantages in buildings, 
without which the enforcement of a systematic discipline is im- 
practicable. Its past history can therefore furnish but little, from 
which the merits of latter modifications in prison science may be j udg- 
ed of ; but with respect to general statistics in crime, some of the 
inquiries will elicit information, chat may notrne devoid or interest ; 
and, trusting that this opinion may not prove to be erroneous, we 
proceed to answer them as fully as the records of the institution 
and other means at hand, will allow of. 

2d Int. — "The number of officers, their yearly salary, duties, 
and the compensation to under-keepers and others employed, and 
what portion of them board and reside within the prison build- 
ings?" 

Ans. The following is a correct list of the present officers of the 
penitentiary ; showing; also, the pay allowed to them respectively, 
and their general duties. 

A board of directors composed of six, who are required in the 
words of the law, " to hold regular stated meetings once in each 
month, or by adjournment from time to time, and shall also meet 
when occasion may require, the warden or two directors giving 
notice thereof. They shall keep minutes of their proceedings, and 
a majority shall be a quorum for the transaction of business. It 
shall be their duty to direct the management of the concerns of 
the prison, and to see that all the laws and rules and regulations in 
relation thereto, are strictly obeyed and observed by all connected 
with the institution, for the purpose of enforcing the Auburn sys- 
tem of prison discipline. They may make and establish rules and 
regulations for the management of the institution, or assign to any 
of the officers any duty, not inconsistent with the laws of the 
state, and the rules and regulations prescribed by law ; and may 
also alter these rules and regulations : Provided, That the said 
changes be made known to the executive in their annual report, 
and unless confirmed by the Legislature, they shall not afterwards 
be enforced. At each monthly meeting they shall appoint one or 
more of their number, who shall constitute a monthly committee 
to visit the institution at least once a week, until the next monthly 
meeting, to examine into the conduct of the officers and inspect 
the management of the institution, and to whom reference may be 
made by the warden and other officers for advice or aid, in cases 



36 



of emergency, and they must represent the board at all times when 
not in session. They must report monthly to the board of direc- 
tors in writing, concerning the condition and police of the prison 
and make such suggestions as they may deem proper." 

The directors are allowed «■ two dollars per day each, for every 
day they may necessarily attend in the discharge of their duties 
as directors, or in the capacity of monthly committee." 

A physician, who is required ,4 to visit the prison at least once 
in each day, not later than eight o'clock, A. M. in winter and six 
o'clock, A. M. in summer, and whenever his presence may be 
needed. To keep a hospital journal in which to note the diseases, 
proscriptions and treatment, to make a report to the board monthly 
of the health of the prison, including post mortem examinations, 
and furnish the wardens daily with a list of those exempted from 
labor or reported sick." 

The salary of the physicisn is four hundred dollars. 
A warden, who, under the direction of the board, has the gene- 
ral charge of the prison, and whose duty it is to see '"that the 
laws of the state, and the rules and regulations for the enforcement 
of order and discipline, are strictly obeyed." The warden desig- 
nates the employment of the prisoners ; is answerable for the po- 
lice and discipline of the institution, and is required by law, '« to 
report monthly to the board, upon the conduct of the officers under 
his direction." 

The salary of the warden is $1,500, and he is allowed "the 
occupancy of such parts of the front building as a dwelling, as are 
not now used for the purposes of the Penitentiary, and all neces- 
sary out-houses, yards and grounds not within the walls of the pri- 
son proper." 

An assistant warden, whose duties are thus defined by law: 
"This officer shall aid the warden in carrying out the laws of the 
State, and the regulations of the prison; he must receive and ex- 
ecute the warden'?, orders when present, but in his absence must 
take his place, with all the warden's powers; in the warden's ab- 
sence from the prison night or day, the assistant warden must be 
present; he shall have particular charge of the victualing depart- 
ment, and be present at meals, unless his place is taken by the 
warden; and he shall also examine the whole prison after the hour 
of locking up, and see that all is safe; his duties shall be mostly 
of a supervisory character over the whole prison, but he shall dis- 
charge specific duties when assisgned to him." 

The salary of the assistant warden is $700 and board. 
A clerk, whose duty it is to keep the mercantile and other books 
of the institution; collect the debts and make payments, and attend 
to such writing as the board of directors may require. Salary of 
the clerk, $1, 200. 

Two agents, who are connected with the clerk in the manage- 
ment of the financial concerns of the institution — who regulate 






37 



500 " do. 



500 
500 

450 



450 
400 



do. 
do. 

do. 



do. 
do. 



the prices of the goods, — which are sold by commission houses in 
Baltimore — and make the purchases of provisions and materials. 

One or both of the agents attend at the institution once every 
day, and receive a per diem of two dollars for their attendance. 
A superintendent of the weaving and dyeing depart- 
ments — salary, $600 and board. 
A superintendent of the cordwaining department, 

salary, 
A superintendent of the carding and spinning de- 
partments — salary, 
A messenger and carter, 

A superintendent of the stone sawing depart- 
ment — salary, 
Four police officers, who are employed in supervis- 
ing the convicts and enforcing silence and 
order in the manufacturing departments, 
Eight wall guards and turnkeys, 

The superintendents of departments, the police officers and the 
wall guards are required to be constantly present at the institution, 
except on every second night, when half of the whole number are 
permitted to be absent — those remaining forming the night-watch 
in the prison and guard room. 

A matron of the female department — salary, $400 with rooms in 
the prison. 

A watchman in the prison yard at night — salary, $350. 
Sd Int, — "The number of buildings, their cost, the amount 
appropriated by the State for their erection, their dimensions and 
whether completed ?" 

Ans. In answer to this inquiry, in so far as it relates to the 
number, and, in part, to the dimensions of the buildings, we refer 
to the plate annexed to the accompanying report of a committee 
of the board appointed in 1835, to prepare plans tor the workshops 
then about to be erected. In the " explanation of the plate," the 
dimensions of the workshops are stated, and the following descrip- 
tion of the Eastern wing,— -used for the separate confinement of 
the convicts at night, completes all that is necessary to add on this 
subject. 

The eastern wing is one hundred and seventy feet in length, 
forty in width and forty-six feet high. It is covered with a strong 
slate roof, and is, in every possible particular, fire proof. From 
the ground floor to the semi-circular brick arch surmounting the 
whole, a hall, fifteen feet wide, separates the ranges of cells, of 
which there are five stories, and affords an unbroken view of each. 
The cells are rendered accessible by small galleries projecting 
three feet from the wall on either side, at the level of each story. 
Each gallery is complete in itself— the floors being laid upon 



38 

strong iron fixtures in the wall; and the whole are so constructed as 
to oppose the least possible obstruction to ventilation. The whole 
number of cells is three hundred and twenty. Each cell is eight 
feet six inches in length, three feet seven inches in width and seven 
feet high — a window in the external wall, three feet high, four 
inches wide on the outer surface and twelve inches wide within, 
furnishes light and air to each cell. On the eastern side of each 
story, midway from the extremities, is a room eight feet, six inches 
square for the guards. The galleries are reached by an easy flight 
of winding steps on each side of the north entrance. 

The amount appropriated by the State for the pur- 
chase of ground and erection of buildings from 1805 
to 1819, (including $40,000 for the rebuilding of the 
Western wing, which had been destroyed by fire in 
1817, 



The cost of the Eastern wing, for the erection of 
which a loan of $30,000, had been granted by the State 
to the Penitentiary, was, 

[The excess ot the cost over the amount of the loan 
— $16,823, was paid out of the profits of the institution.] 

The cost of ground for an extension of the yard and 
walling-in of the same — finished in 1833, and paid for 
out of the profits of the institution, was 

The cost of the new workshops, finished in 1837, 
for the erection and completion of which two loans ot 
$20,000 each were granted by the State, was 

[The excess of the cost over the amount of the loans, 
— $9,675, was paid by the institution.] 

Paid by the institution at various times for buildings 
and on account of walls, &c. &c. not included in the 
above, 



$131,241 



46,823 



12,644 



49,675 



Total cost of lot and buildings, 



17,312 
$257,695 

4th Int. — "The number of prisoners received in each and 
every year, the number discharged — showing the increase and de- 
crease—the number of pardons granted in each year, and whether 
any so pardoned have been recommitted V' 

Sns. The answer to this interrogatory will be found in part in 
the accompanying tables, marked A and B. In relation to the 
number discharged, " showing the increase and decrease,*' we re- 
fer to statement No. 2, in each of the annual reports for a series of 
years past, also herewith presented. 

5th Int. " The number of persons recommitted, and for what 
crimes t" 

Jim. In table B. 






39 

6th Int. " The general health of the prisoners, number of deaths 
in every year, and from what cause?" 

Jim. The general health of the prisoners may be inferred from 
the average number under care in the hospital department during 
the last year, which was about twenty-six, or seven per cent, of the 
whole number in confinement. 

The number of deaths in each year is stated in table B, but the 
causes of the deaths previous to the year 1831 cannot be given 
with accuracy, as no "hospital lecord" was kept, or post mortem 
examinations regularly made, until the spring of that year. For 
the number and causes of the deaths from 1832 to 1838 inclusive, 
see also table B. 

7th Int. li The daily employment of the prisoners, of what kind, 
nd whether undergoing solitary confinement or otherwise 1" 

Am. The chief employment of the male convicts is that of weav- 
ing cotton and woollen goods. In the weaving department about 
two thirds of the whole number are employed. 

The remainder, (excepting cooks and bakers, of whom there are 
ordinarily about twelve,) are engaged in making shoes and in saw- 
ing marble for stone cutters in the city, about an equal number 
being employed in each of these latter departments. 

The women are engaged in spooling for the weavers, and in sew- 
ing, knitting, binding shoes and washing. 

None of the prisoners are kept in solitary confinement during 
the day, except in the cases in which such confinement is used as 
a means of punishment for infractions of the prison regulations, and 
in these it is not protracted beyond a few days. 

8th Int. " The number of prisoners, designating their color, 
whether male or female, their places of nativity, particularly the 
colored prisoners V' 

Am. The whole number of prisoners at present is 332, of whom 
there are white males, 178 

Negroes, 110 

288 

White females, 8 

Negroes, 36 

— 44 



3S2 



Of the white male prisoners, there were born in 



ryland, 


84 


District of Columbia, 


3 


nsylvania, 


13 


Kentucky, 


2 


inia, 


7 


Ohio, 


1 


York, 


6 


North Carolina, 


1 


?are, 


6 


Massachusetts, 


1 


ersey, 


4 


Vermont, 

Americans, - 


1 



129 



40 



Germany, 21 Scotland, 
Ireland, 17 Poland, 
England, 8 Belgium, 

Foreigners, - 


1 

1 
1 
49 


Of the 110 negro men, there were born in 


178 


Maryland, 101 Virginia, 
New York, 1 Kentucky, 
Delaware, 2 
District of Columbia, 1 
Pennsylvania, 1 "West Indies, 

Of the eight white women, there were born in 


1 
1 

108 
2 
110 


Maryland, 
Connecticut, - 


4 

1 


Ireland, - - - 2 
England, ... i 


5 
3 


Negro women, born in Maryland, 


— 8 
36 




332 



9th Int. " The general habits of the prisoners and their employ- 
ment and conduct previous to conviction?" 

Mns. In answer to this enquiry it can only be stated in general 
that about three fourths of the whole number of male prisoner 
had been of intemperate habits previous to their conviction, a 
that about two-thirds of the whole number of white males had ' 
no trade or regular occupation. 

\0th Int. i( The course of treatment, and respective emplo* 
of the prisoners, and their daily working hours?" 

JLns. As to the course of treatment — the prisoners are s» 
to no particular course of treatment, other than that of beir 
ed to preserve a constant silence, except in regard to f 
of the institution, and to perform a certain quantum of 
£d. As to their employment — this branch of the inqu 
already responded to, in the answer to interrogatory 
daily working hours are from sunrise to sunset. 

llth Int. "Education of prisoners, designating 
can read and write, those who cannot, and how 
educated V 9 

Am. As relates to the prisoners at present j 
inquiry could not be definitely answered, withr 



41 

quired information from each individual among them. This would 
be a work of some inconvenience, and is, perhaps, rendered unne- 
cessary by similar intelligence derived in 1835, from an examina- 
tion of 153 white male convicts then in the institution. 
Of that number, there had received a good English educa- 
tion, - - 15 
Could read and write, - 83 
Could read but not write, - 23 
Could neither read nor write, - 32 

153 



12th Int. — " Habits of prisoners, the number who have been in- 
temperate, moderate drinkers, and those who have entirely 
refrained from the use of intoxicating liquors V 9 

Jlns. The record of the prisoners has not been heretofore kept 
with a view to the preservation of such information as is here 
asked, but in the examination of one hundred and fifty-three 
white male prisoners, referred to in the eleventh interrogatory, as 
having been made in 1835, sixty-eight of that number admitted 
that they had been habitually intemperate. 

13th Int. — "Relations — married, unmarried, widowers, apprenti- 
ces, and how many have been bound and absconded from their em- 
ployers, and the number of those without trades?" 

Am. This inquiry cannot be answered from the records of the 
institution, further than as it relates to the number without trades, 
which has been already stated as about two thirds, in the answer to 
the ninth interrogatory. 

l\th Int. — " Ages of prisoners, number convicted under twenty 
years of age, and designating the number of those between the 
ages of twenty, thirty, forty, fifty, sixty and upwards ?" 

Answered in table B. 

15th Int. — " Number of prisoners received and discharged in 
good health, those received and discharged in imperfect health, 
the number discharged in better health than received, and those 
discharged in worse health than received ?" 

jins. These particulars cannot be stated in detail, as the sub- 
ject has not been made a matter of record, but it is known that the 
prisoners are in general discharged in good health, owing to their 
regularity of habits, while in confinement, and that many who had 
been received with constitutions much impaired, has left the prison 
in a great degree renovated. 

16th Int.—" Has solitary confinement, or the separate and silent 
system, any visible effects upon the general health or minds of the 
prisoners?'' 

Jlns. This inquiry is not applicable to the system of this state, as 



42 



solitary confinement — (except at night, or for occasional temporary 
punishment) — does not belong to it. 

11th Int. — " Are prisoners generally reformed or otherwise at 
the expiration of the sentence, or when liberated from prison V 

Ans. No means have been hitherto used to obtain any general 
information in relation to convicts who have been discharged, and 
who have not been returned. 

From indications exhibited by many on the eve of being libera- 
ted, a high degree of reformation might be argued, but such indi- 
cations are, to a great extent, deceptive. 

The number of recommitments in the last three years, has been 
been much diminished— see table B. — but this is attributable in 
part, to an act of the legislature, passed in 1836, ordering that 
negroes re-convicted of crimes, should be sold out of the state. 

The operation of this law would not, alone, have produced so 
great a reduction of the number of re-commitments as has taken 
place ; and the diminution to some extent, may be fairly consider- 
ed as an effect of the Auburn discipline, latterly introduced, either 
by reformation, or by impelling discharged convicts, (not disposed 
to reform,) to leave the state. 

18£A Int. — « Are the number of foreign prisoners, (emigrants) 
increasing, and if so, from what cause?" 

Jins. For many years past, no material variation has occurred 
in the number of commitments of foreigners — see table B. — but 
this may be owing to the circumstance that the number of emi- 
grants arriving at the port of Baltimore, and remaining within the 
limits of the state, is not very considerable. 

19th Int. — "The general habits of foreign prisoners, whether 
educated, industrious, sober, coming to this country with their own 
means, or whether some of them have been guilty of crime, or pau- 
pers, and their expenses paid by government or voluntary contribu- 
tions by corporations, associations or otherwise, previous to their 
arrival and conviction in this country V 9 

Jlns. This interrogatory cannot be answered from any data fur- 
nished by the institution. 

2,0th Int. — « What is the average daily earnings of prisoners, for 
the past or previous years, who enjoy good health, and the ave- 
rage cost to feed, clothe and take care of them daily I" 

•/2m. The earnings are necessarily dependent upon the prices 
that may be realized for the manufacturers, and they are subject 
to fluctuation. The task of the weavers in good health, is in sum- 
mer, twenty yards per day, of three quarter goods, of wider goods 
in the same proportion, and fifteen yards per day in winter. 

The average daily earnings by or for, the whole number of pri- 
soners in confinement from the year 1834 to 1838 inclusive, were 
as follows : 



43 



In 1834, 

1885, 
1836, 
1837, 
1838, 



26 nearly 27 cents. 
25 26 

34 35 

34.6 
16.6 



The average cost to feed, clothe, and take care of them daily 



11.8 
12.1 



was, 

In 1834, for provision, clothing, bedding and fuel, 12.2 
Salaries of officers and all other expenses, 14.5 

18S5, for provision, clothing, bedding and fuel, 
Salaries of officers and all other expenses, 

1836, for provision, clothing, bedding and fuel, 
Salaries of officers and all other expenses, 

1837, for provision, clothing, bedding and fuel, 
Salaries of officers and all other expenses, 

The cost of provision having much advanced. 

1838, for provision, clothing, bedding and fuel, 
Salaries of officers, and all other expenses. 



-26.7 cts. 



.23.9 



12.4 
12.3 



-24.7 



17.0 
13.6 



■30.6 



14.4 

16.2 



-30.6 

The aggregate of these expenses was not in this year increased, 
but the average expense was heightened by the lessened numher 
of prisoners in confinement. (Less than in 1837, by the average 
of 20.) 

21s* Int. — "Food, of what kind, and the quantity allowed to 
each prisoner?" 

Jlns. The food allowed to the prisoners is of coarse, but sound 
and wholesome qaulity, and in quantity is as follows : 
\k lbs. of flour, each, per day, 
? lb. of beef or | lb. of bacon, each, per day. 
1 herring, " do. 

1 gill of molasses, " do. 

1 pint of potatoes, peas or beans, or other vegetables in lieu 
thereof, with the proper allowance of coffee or tea, salt, &c. 

22d Int. — "The general conduct of the prisoners, whether in- 
clined to be industriously employed, obeying their keepers, and the 
mode of punishment for refusing to work or for disobedience P? 

Jlns. The general conduct of the prisoners is good, or in accor- 
dance with the regulations, as any infraction of these is immediately 
punished, and the certainty of punishment for any violation of the 
rules is the most effectual preservative of order in prison establish- 
ments. 

The punishment for refusing to work or for disobedience, is 
whipping or solitary confinement on low diet $ — most commonly 
the former, but in some cases both. 






44 



ZSd Inf. — "The plan of the prison, designating the number of 
cells on the different ranges, their size and the fixtures allowed 7" 

Answered, except as relates to the fixtures, in the answer to the 
third interrogatory. — The only fixture allowed, if such it may be 
called, is a cot in each cell, which is provided in the winter season 
with a straw bed, three cotton and wool coverlets, and one blanket; 
in summer, with a straw bed and two coverlets. 

%4th Int. — " Articles manufactured, of what kind and quality, 
how the materials are purchased, and in what manner disposed of 
after manufactured ?" 

Ans. The articles manufactured are chiefly cotton goods and 
linseys. They are of a quality somewhat superior to that of other 
similar goods in the market (present price of three-fourths plaid, 
fourteen cents per yard,) and, for the most part, are disposed of 
through commission merchants in Baltimore. 

The materials are all purchased by the " agents" referred to in 
the answer to the second interrogatory. 

2,5th Int. — " What attention is paid to the education or im- 
proving the prisoners in reading, writing, the books used, and 
whether they receive any moral instruction 7" 

Jlns. A Sunday school for the male convicts has been established 
in the institution by several gentlemen of Baltimore, who, during 
many years past, have given to it great attention, and by whom a 
large number of the convicts have been taught to read. A portion 
of the school exercises consists in the reading of moral and reli- 
gious books, and tracts are also distributed, periodically, amongst 
the prisoners by the same gentlemen, whose services are entirely 
gratuitous. 

On every Sunday morning a religious service is performed by 
some member of the Methodist society — an appointment being 
made by the society for that purpose as regularly as it is done for 
their several houses of worship in the city. 

26th Int. — " Is there any promotion or bounty awarded to pri- 
soners for general good conduct and steady attention to the em- 
ployments assigned them ?" 

Jlns. No bounty or other incentive to good conduct is awarded 
to the prisoners — except an allowance for such labor as they may 
perform beyond their daily tasks, which is paid to them upon the 
expiration of their servitude. This regulation has been found to 
be productive of good effects, both by ensuring the performance of 
the tasks and by providing for convicts a small outfit upon their 
discharge. 

We have thus answered the several interrogatories, in so far as 
the required information could be furnished from the records of the 
institution and such general knowledge of the subject as we are 
possessed of. In some particulars, which, we trust, may not be 
deemed material, the answers may be found to be deficient, but 



" i ~i * 



A, 
ABSTRACT 

•Of Prisoners received into the. Maryland Penitentiary, from the 24:th January, 1812, to the 30th November, 1838, inclusive. 



1812 1813 1814 1815 1816 15.17 18181819 182o'i821 1822 1823 1824 1825 1826 1827 1828 



1 ; Stealing, . - 

2 ! Larceny, 
3. ■ Felony, 

4 Vagrancy, 

5 Receiving. stolen goods, 

6 : Horse stealings 

7 Burglary, 

8 "; Burglary and stealing, 

9 ! Passing counterfeit notes-,. ■. '"' 

10 | Murder., 

11 Murder in the second degree, 

12 I Assault with intent to murder, 

13 I Rape, 

14 | Assault with intent. to commit rape, . 

15 I Arson, 

16 j Forgery, 

17 Cutting off the ears of a boy, 

18 I Keeping gaming tables, 

1.9 I. Conspiring to raise insurrection; 

20 Venereal connection with a mule, .. 

21 I Attempt to poison, 

22 i Assault and battery, with intent to disfigure, 

23 Gambling, 

24 Kidnapping, 

25 | Highway robbery, 

26 Assault and robbery, 

27 I Robbery, ... 

28 ; Insurrection, 
Perjury, '■;•'■. 
Exciting insurrection, 
Aaiding slaves to escape, 
Passing counterfeit coin, 
Killing a horse, 

34 Stabbing a horse, 

35 Bigamy, 

36 Concealing himself in a house,. 

37 Keeping a rag table, 

38 Beating and gouging, 
Grand larceny, 

40 Counterfeiting, 

41 I Enticing a' slave to run away, 

Assault with intent to murder, and breaking 

out of and escaping from the Penitentiary 
Assault with intent to' rob, 
Assault and battery, 

46 Burning a barn, 

47 Breaking the condition of a pardon, . 

48 Assaulting the captain of a vessel at. sea, 

49 Breaking and entering a barn, 

50 Robbing the mail, 

51 Robbing the post office, 

52 Counterfeiting United States coin, 

53 Mutiny, 

54 i Obtaining goods on false pretences, 

55 Quackery — bleeding a man to death, 



Slaves included above, ill 

Exclusive of vagrants and slaves, \ 6C 



91 



101 102 126 119 103 120 



37 .22 
24 40 



89 | 90 

■ 2 i 



835 1836 1837 1838 



1860 
53 
396 
190 

72 
84 
98 
3 
14 



Under the terms, larceny, felony and stealing, are compre- 
bended crimes of similar character— those terms being em- 
ployed indifferently by the courts. The whole number of 
commitments for larceny, felony and stealing has been 2,309, 
or about three-fourths of the whole number. 



The vagrant act was repealed early in the year 1819. 



Since the year 1819, slaves who have not been sentenced 
to capital punishment upon conviction of crimes, have been 
sold out of the Slate. 



3137 1 



bui 



Particulars relating to prisoners received into the Maryland Penitentiary, from the 24th January, 1812, to the 30th November, 1838- 













SI 

1 
3, 


o 


b 


g 


AGES. 




RECOMMITMENTS, AND CRIME AT LAST COMMITMENT. 








COMMITMENTS. 


55 

3' 




<! 


o 

i 


a 

•5 


ft) 
TO 8 

' era 


s 




Q 

s 

"J* 


c - 
c 


_ > 


M \'' w 

iff!' 


s S 
o w 


if 

=' s 

2 '-'. 


A 


















WHITES. 


BLACKS. 


2 








Under 


16 to 


20 to 


SO to 


Over 








M 




SL 






c- 


g 


li = 


re 


a 5 






Males. 


Females. 
11 


Males. 


Females. 


F 








10. 


20 


30 


40 


40 












a 




















1812 


21 


42 


18 




14 


7 


1 


6 


11 


33 


25 


17 




















1813 


40 


39 


30 


47 




30 


4 


2 


"6 


31 


69 


31 


19 
































1814 


35 


27 


53 


41 


3 


29 


12 


4 


• 8 


36 


60 


19 


33 


2 








l 




















3 


1815 


42 


16 


26 


27 


6 


18 


9 


8 


5 


28 


49 


19 


10 


4 








1 










1 










.6 


1816 


57 


19 


36 


25 


19 


29 


6 


16 


3 


25 


63 


24 


22 


11 


1 


6 
















i 








19 


181? 


48 


16 


65 


27 


24* 


19 


9 


14 


5 


38 


66 


18 


29 


18 




5 


1 




1 


















24 


1818 


71 


15 


47 


12 


9 


29 


19 


18 


5 


19 


70 


23 . 


28 


5 




2 


1 


















1 




9 


1819 


54 


3 


22 


8 


11 


18 


14 


11 


4 


18 


35 


17 


13 


9 


1 


1 
























11 


1820 


51 


6 


31 


13 


U 


23 


14 


7 


3 


17 


49 


14 


'18 


12 












.1 
















14 


1821 


53 


5 


29 


15 


9 


19 


23 


4 




17 


45 


24 


16 


7 






1 




1 


















9 


1822 


71 


7 


41 


7 


14 


32 


40 


5 




18 


55 


23 


25 


12 








2 




















14 


1823 


57 




48 


14 


.20 


13 


10 


16 


1 


22 


58 


20 


18 


16 


3 




1 






















20 


1824 


46 


2 


35 


20 


20 


8 


23 


-4 


7 


23 


48 


15 


10 


11 


8 






1 




















20 


1825 


37 


5 


57 


21 


19 


8 


19 


T 


6 


22 


60 


15 


17 


3 


14 








1 
















1 


19 


1826 


70 


2 


12 


5 


14 


15 


15 


14 


1 


21 


38 


12 


17 


g 


5 






1 




















14 


1827 


43 


1 


25 


9 


11 


11 


15 


2 


4 


20 


31 


9 


14 


2 


8 






1 




















11 


1828 


32 




55 


12 


' 19 


6 


20 


4 


4 


25 


41 


12 


17 


3 


15 
















1 










19 


1829 


47 


1 


52 


13 


18 


5 


14 


4 


5 


25 


51 


18 


14 


10 


7 


























18 


1830 


58 


1 


43 


15 


14 


15 


15 


13 


2 


27 


50 


19 


19 


12 






















2 






14 


1831 


43 


1 


42 


19 


11 


13 


26 


£4 


4 


15 


46 


22 


18 


10 




















i 








11 
16 


1832 


45 


1 


51 


18 


16 


13 


30 


22 


1 


21 


49 


32 


12 


14 






2 






















1S33 


46 


4 


52 


18 


20 


11 


16 


16 




21 


55 


27 


17 


18 








2 




















20 


1834 


43 


4 


53 


23 


18 


15 


14 


10 


3 


15 


61 


30 


14 


16 


1 






1 




















18 
19 


18S5 


80 


4 


41 


19 


19 


28 


20 


11 


3 


20 


71 


31 


19 


18 














1 














183C 


44 


1 


43 


16 


6 


17 


30 


7 




10 


55 


24 


15 


6 




























6 

S 


1837 


49 


6 


57 


16 


8 


16 


23 


13 


I 


18 


68 


27 


14 


3 


2 














2 




i 








183E 


45 


1 


27 


IS 


1 


19 


14 


11 




5 


44 


27 


15 






















l 








1 




1338 


MS 




40G 


3i3 


473 i 


i r r- 


1 268 


87 


568 


1420 


582 


480 


230 


00 


14 


G 


10 | , 


1 


J 


2 


a 


i 


2 1 


1 


343 



Many of those who had been pardoned, have been recommitted — the' proportion being, probably, not less than of those who had been discharged upon the expiration of their sentence. 
The precise number recommitted (of those who had been pardoned) cannot be given, owing to the custom of convicts to change their names, which renders it impracticable to identify them on the record 
in all cases. 



45 

with respect to the general history of the establishment, and par- 
ticularly of its financial and manufacturing branches, much of ad- 
ditional matter may be obtained from the annual reports — a series 
of which, commencing in 1831, accompanies this communication* 
Of the reports made prior to that date, there are no printed copies 
remaining at the institution. Referring to those presented for our 
further answers to the inquiry at large, 

We have the honor to be, with great respect, 

Your Excellency's obedient servants, 

JACOB G. DAVIS, President, 
On behalf of the Board of Directors* 



MASSACHUSETTS STATE PRISON. 

Charlestown, February 6, 1839. 

Answers to the questions contained in the circular of the Hon. Wil- 
liam T. Rogers, dated at Harrisburg, Pa., January 17, 1839. 

1. This institution was first opened for the reception of convicts 
in December, 1805. It was then based on the old plan, having 
cells or dormitories sufficiently large to contain trom six to sixteen 
convicts. This plan proved almost a total failure, so far as the 
reformation of the convicts was concerned. About the 1st of Janu- 
ary, 1830, the mode of confinement and system of discipline, es- 
tablished at Auburn, New York, was introduced into this institu- 
tion; since which, a great improvement in the moral condition of 
the convicts and of the finances, has taken place. 

2. The organization of the prison includes three inspectors, one 
warden, one deputy warden, one chaplain, one physician and sur- 
geon, one clerk, one superintendent of the stone department, who 
is also an overseer, eight turnkeys, who are all overseers, and twelve 
watchmen. Their aggregate salaries amount to $16,400, "and 
is in full of all services ;" and by the provisions of the law, Nei- 
ther the warden, nor any other officer appointed by the warden and 
inspectors, shall, during the term of holding his office, be employ- 
ed in any business for private emolument, not in any business which 
does not pertain to the duties of his office.'' The warden and de- 
puty warden are required by law to reside within the precincts of 
the prison, and such of the turnkeys and watchmen as may choose 
so to do, are permitted to reside in the prison. Accommodations 
are furnished and fuel allowed for all officers who reside in the pri- 
son, and nothing more. 

3. There are two old prisons and one new prison ; a dwelling for 
the warden, and a dwelling for the deputy warden, turnkeys and 
watchmen ; a chapel, kitchen and six workshops. The cost of the 
buildings cannot be given with any degree of accuracy, except the 



46 



new prison, kitchen and chapel, which amounted to about $86,252, 
including the labor performed by the convicts, and was a charge 
upon the treasury of the commonwealth. 

4. Not having copies of the annual reports of prior dates to that 
published in October, 1820, I shall answer this question by com- 
mencing the following schedule with that year. The yearly ac- 
counts and reports of the prison are made up on the 1st of October, 
the year closing on the 30th of September. The table gives the 
year, the whole number of convicts in prison on the 1st of October 
in each year, the number of convicts received and discharged in 
each year, the number of pardons and deaths, the number of color- 
ed persons, foreigners, and the number of recommitments, &c. &c. 



CD 

-t 


Who 
victs in 
October 


CD 

• c 
3 


CD 

§"2 

CD s 


t— i 

S3 

a 

-i 

CD 


CD 

O 


CD 

3 


12! 

e 
5 


o 

CD 2 

» 5 


o 

»-s 

2. 


Reco 

[year. 




» i 2 

ja C c 
O 3 B 

^o §• 

VJ 3 CD 

ES ST « 


CD 

►1 
-I 
CD 
C5 
CD. 

<* 
CD 

cL 


T* CD 

-i 

o- 

co" 
o 
cr 
pa 


to 
to 

CD 


CD 
CO 
Cfi 

CD 


cr 

CD 
•-S 

c 
o 

S3 
CD 
P- 


or* 

CD 
•-J 

D- 

cd" 

O. 

5" 

CD 


.-« CD 
"ft 

S3 ~» 
Ci 

<ET 


Ofq' 

ES 
CD 

CD 


3 
3 

3 

CD 
So" 




J» (t o 


5' 








5' 


CD 


p. 




5' 




e* o 
.© 3 


CD 
PS 
CD 

p* 


5' 






CD 
P3 
C5 


CD 
W 


•T3 
CD 

i 




CO 

CD 

cr 


1820 


308 


71 


103 




32 


25 


6 


47 


49 


16 


1821 


282 


87 


113 




26 


32 


5 


41 


51 


16 


1822 


279 


91 


94 




3 


14 


10 






21 


1823 


308 


107 


78 


29 




6 


6 


46 


58 


20 


1824 


298 


86 


96 




10 


10 


6 


54 


59 


13 


1825 


314 


96 


80 


16 




13 


1 


50 


60 


27 


1826 


313 


81 


82 




1 


14 


6 


50 


56 


24 


1827 


285 


80 


108 




28 


27 


1 


47 


41 


14 


1828 


290 


106 


101 


5 




14 


4 


48 


52 


14 


1829 


262 


79 


107 




28 


19 


6 






15 


1830 


290 


115 


87 


28 




7 


5 


35 


53 


19 


1831 


256 


71 


105 




34 


12 


7 


38 


49 


14 


1832 


227 


76 


105 




29 


10 


11 


34 


45 


15 


1833 


250 


119 


96 


23 




7 


6 


30 


58 


15 


1834 


277 


119 


92 


27 




17 


4 


S3 


70 


15 


1835 


279 


117 


115 


2 




13 


3 


32 


59 


13 


1836 


278 


97 


98 




1 


7 


4 


28 


60 


7 


1837 


291 


99 


86 


13 




14 


5 


24 


70 


13 


1838 


302 


114 


103 


11 




21 


7* 


26 


67 


25 



Note. — The fourth column not only includes those who were dis- 
charged by expiration of sentence, but all who were discharged by 
order of court, pardoned, escaped or died during the year. 

*One by suicide. 



47 

From the records it appears that the whole number of convicts 
committed to this prison, from December 12th, 1805, to the 30th 
September, 1838, is 3181, of which number, there have been 

Discharged by expiration of sentence, - - 2169 



Do. 


Pardon or remission of sentence, 


- 


^93 


Do. 


Order of court, 


- 


20 




Died, - 


- 


172 




Escaped, - 


- 


25 



2879 

leaving on the 1st of October last, 302 convicts in prison. Of the 
2707 who have left this institution, 441 have been recommitted 
one or more times. Of these, forty-two were of the number who 
were pardoned. Of the 108 convicts pardoned since the 1st of Oc- 
tober, 1829, but live have been recommitted. Crimes of the 136 
convicts recommitted since the 30th of September, 1829, viz: 
larceny 108, passing or having in possession with intent to pass 
counterfeit coin or bank bills 6, burglary 6, forgery 3, adultery 3, 
robbery 3, manslaughter 1, felonious assault 1, bigamy 1, arson 1, 
malicious burning 1, escape from house of correction 1, attempting 
to cheat and defraud by false pretences 1. 

5. Answered in the fourth. 

6. The general health of the convicts in this institution is re- 
markably good. The following are the diseases of the 103 con- 
victs who have died since October 1, 1820, viz: consumption 52, 
organic disease of the lungs 1, tubercles of liver and pancreas 1, ul- 
ceration and induration of pancreas and mesinteire glands 1, ab- 
cess 1, hectic fever 2, peritoneal inflammation 4, wounds 3, para- 
lysis 2, hydrocephalus 3, iritation 1, scrofula 2, ascites 2, rupture 
of the aorta 3, syphilis 3, chronic diarrhoea 2, dysentery 1, melenae 
1, typhus fever 4, epilepsy 1, hydrothorax 2, apoplexy 1, empye- 
ma 1, pneumonia 1, mania 2, suicide 1, and old age 5. 

7. See page 21 of the last annual report. 

8. See pages 21 and 23 of last annual report. There are no fe- 
male convicts in this prison. In our reports we do not designate 
particularly the places of nativity of the colored prisoners. 

9. 1 have no other information on this subject than is contained 
in the annual report of the chaplain, for the years 1837 and 1838. 

10. The convicts in this prison are treated with kindness when 
they conduct well. For employment, see last annual report, page 
9. At this season of the year the convicts are put to work as early 
as they can see in the morning, and they work until sundown. In 
the summer they are unlocked at twenty minutes past four, A. M., 
and leave off work at six or half-past six o'clock, P. M. They are 
allowed about forty-five minutes at each meal, for breakfast and 
dinner. Breakfast is served out at a quarter before eight in winter, 



48 



and at seven, A. M. , in summer, and dinner at half past twelve, 
P. M., the year round. They eat their food in their cells. 

11, 12, 13. See the annual reports of the chaplain for the years 
1837 and 1838 for all the information we have on these subjects. 

14. See warden's report for 1838, page 7. 

15. Have no data by which this question can be answered. I 
will barely remark, however, that the convicts are generally in 
much better health and physical condition when discharged, than 
when they are first received into this prison. 

16. As a general thing, we do not think that the mode of con- 
finement and f discipline of this institution operates to the injury 
of the health of the convicts. But we do think it is vastly better 
calculated to promote their moral improvement, than the old sys- 
tem. 

17.1 have no data by which I can state, with certainty, the con- 
duct of convicts after being discharged from this .place. But I 
have no doubt that more than seven-eighths of them go out with 
improved feelings, and that one-half or two-thirds of the whole 
number discharged, endeavor to get a living by honest industry. 

18. It appears from the preceding table that the number of 
46 foreign prisoners, (emigrants,)" has increased a little; I can 
account for it in no other way than from the fact that this part of 
the population of the State has greatly increased of late years. 

19. I have no information by which I can answer this question ; 
but would remark, that almost all the foreigners committed to this 
prison have been very intemperate. 

20. The average daily expense of maintaining each prisoner, 
charging them with food, clothing, hospital expenses, fuel and other 
incidental expenses, amount allowed each prisoner on being dis- 
charged, officers salaries, transporting the prisoners from the jails 
of the several counties to this prison, after being sentenced, and 
all repairs of real estate, was as follows, the last four years, viz : 
in 1835, about thirty-four cents and eight mills, ,• 1836— forty-five 
cents and seven mills; 1837 — forty-two cents and three mills; 
and 1838 — forty-one cents and four mills. The average daily earn- 
ings of each convict, was as follows, viz: in 1835 — about forty- 
three cents and five mills ; 1836— fifty-one cents and seven mills ; 
1837 — thirty-eight cents and six mills ; and. 1838— forty cents. 
There are other sources of income, not included in the above, 
but which is not derived from the labor of the convicts. 

21. The daily ration consists of one pound of good nutricious 
beef, or twelve ounces of pork, ten ounces of rye meal and ten 
ounces of Indian meal, and three fourths of a gill of molasses for 
each prisoner. Also, for every hundred rations, two and a half 
bushels of potatoes two quarts of vinegar, four quarts of fine salt, 
two ounces of black pepper, two quarts of rye or barley, to be fur- 






49 



nished to the convicts in warm drink at their meals, night and 
morning, and one gallon of molasses and twelve ounces of hops to 
each prisoner, to be made into beer during six months in the warm 
season. For the above, except the molasses and hops for beer, 
we pay a contractor this year, at the rate of twelve cents per ra- 
tion. 

In addition to the above articles, the warden may furnish, if he 
thinks it necessary, two ounces of beef or pork extra, or the value 
thereof in meal, rice, or vegetables, for each convict. He may 
also furnish fish one day in each week, instead of beef or pork. 

It is our rule to furnish pork but one day in each week, and we 
furnish meal instead of the two ounces of extra beef or pork, which 
makes the quantity of bread issued to each prisoner daily, from 
thirty-four to thirty-six ounces. 

22. The general conduct of the convicts in this institution is 
good. Moral influence is the first means used to secure order, in- 
dustry and obedience; when that fails of success, we occasionally 
resort to corporal punishment, but more generally to solitary con- 
finement on bread and water for a few days. Other slight punish- 
ments or privations are also resorted to in case of minor offences. 

23. The new prison is erected on the plan of that at Sing Sing, 
New York. It is built of granite, has four ranges of cells on each 
side ; each range has thirty-eight cells, making three hundred and 
four cells in all. Each cell is seven feet long, seven feet high and 
three feet six inches in width. The outer wall of the solitary pri- 
son is four feet thick on the front and back, and three feet at the 
ends. The space between the wall and the block of cells is nine 
feet. The doors are of iron, and the galeries of stone. Each 
cell contains one box stool, one night bucket, one water can, one 
iron knife and foik, one iron spoon, one tin pot for coffee, one bot- 
tle for molasses and one for vinegar, one pepper and salt box, two 
tin dishes to contain the food, and one tin spit dish, one comb, one 
pillow case and pillow, one cot frame of iron and canvass sacking, 
one straw bed in winter, one rug and two or three blankets, one 
Bible, and such moral and religious books as the warden or chaplain 
may permit. Each convict has, also, in his cell, suspended in a 
cotton bag, one extra suit of clothes, to be worn only on the 
Sabbath. 

24. The principal business carried on for account of the prison, is 
stone cutting; connected with this is also the blacksmithing. The 
rough material is obtained at the quarries in Quincy, and is trans- 
ported by water. The wrought stone is furnished to order, when 
applied for by builders. The shoemakers, tailors, coopers and 
whitesmiths, are also employed on account of the prison, and work 
is furnished to order. The cabinet makers, brush makers, hatters 
and tinmen, are let out to contractors, who furnish stock and tools, 
and the means of employment. 

4 



50 

25. Convict who cannot read have an opportunity to learn, if 
they choose to avail themselves of it. Moral and religious books 
are furnished to be read in the cells and while in the hospital. 
Daily religious services are performed in the chapel morning and 
evening by the chaplain ; also, religious services on the Sabbath j 
on which occasions all the convicts, except those who may be em- 
ployed in preparing food, or are too unwell, are required to at- 
tend. There is also a Sabbath school on the forenoon of the Sab- 
bath, for the purpose of moral and religious instruction, and every 
well-behaved convict may attend by making application to the war- 
den. The school is under the superintendence of the chaplain, 
assisted by the warden or deputy. The convicts are instructed by 
a large number of religious gentlemen from the neighboring city 
and towns. In addition to the school and chapel services, each 
convict may have private conversations with the chaplain on reli- 
gious subjects 5 and it is the practice of the chaplain to converse 
with one or more of them daily, whether they express a wish to- 
converse with him or not. 

26. No promotion, bounty, overstint money or reward whatever, 
is allowed convicts for obedience, industry and good behaviour. 
The law provides, however, that the warden may pay to any con- 
vict, who shall, in his opinion, deserve it by his good conduct, on 
his leaving the prison, a sum not exceeding 6 *five dollars," and it 
also requires that they "shall be furnished with a suit of clothes; ,r 
our practice is, to give them their old clothes and also a new suit 
on being discharged. 

The inspectors, warden, chaplain and physician are appointed by 
the Governor and Council* The subordinate officers are appointed 
by the warden, subject to the approval of the board of inspectors, 
and hold their office during the pleasure of the warden and inspec- 
tors; but if the warden shall think any such officer ought to be 
removed, and the inspectors refuse their consent, the warden may 
appeal to the Governor and Council, who, after reasonable notice to 
the inspectors, may make such removal. 

N. B. In addition to the answer to the second question, I would 
observe, that about seventeen of the turnkeys and watchmen, avail 
themselves of the privilege of boarding together in the prison, bufc 
supply their own table, and furnish their own domestic help, except 
the labor of one convict 



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